Tongue-truck for grain-harvesters.



No. 796,605. PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

T. RODNEY.

TONGUE TRUCK FOR GRAIN HARVESTERS.

APPLICATION I'ILBD HA3. 6, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 796,605. 'PATBNTED AUG. 8, 1905.

T. RODNEY. TONGUE TRUCK FOR GRAIN HARVESTERS.

I APPLICATION FILED MAE. 6, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ROONEY, OF MANKATO, MINNESOTA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed March 6, 1905. Serial No. 248,755.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RooNEY, residing at Mankato, in the county of Blue Earth and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Tongue-T ruck for Grain-Harvesters and other Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to new and useful improvements in tongue-trucks for agricultural implements of the general character or type employed for the purpose of supporting the tongue while the machine is at rest or in motion, and thereby relieving the draftanimals of the weight of the tongue and machine, which they would otherwise sustain.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a truck of the kind mentioned which will be simple in construction, which will effectively support the weight of the tongue and machine, and which will prevent the side draft of the machine while the latter is in motion.

A further and important object is to soconstruct the tongue and truck and to combine them in such a peculiar and novel combination that any lateral movement of the tongue, as in turning, will operate the truck to travel in a line at a greater angle to the line of draft than that assumed by the tongue, so that the machine may be turned or swung around at a sharp angle with less swing of the tongue than has heretofore been necessary.

A further object is to provide means for limiting the lateral swinging movement of the tongue in order to prevent the draft-animals from turning so far to either side as to come into contact with the machine.

The invention consists in the novel and peculiar construction of parts and their arrangement in operative construction, to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, and wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a tongue and supporting-truck therefor constructed in accordance with my invention, parts being broken away to show antifrictionbearings between relatively movable elements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tongue and truck, parts being shown in the position assumed when the machine to which they are attached is moving in a straight line. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the tongue and truck. showing their relative positions when the tongue is swung laterally to turn the machine. Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation of the truck-wheel and the spindle upon which it is mounted. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the coupling elements for the tongue-sections, said elements being shown separated. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the separated coupling elements. Fig. 7 is a side view of one of the elements employed for swinging the truckwheel on its vertical spindle. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the element shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the coupling element shown to the right of Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation of the crank-arm connected to the vspindle of the truck-wheel. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the crank-arm shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a side view of a connecting-lever for transmit ting motion from the element shown in Figs. 7 and 8 tothe crank-arm. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the connecting-lever shown in Fig. 12.

Before proceeding with the detailed description of the invention I would state that the invention is particularly intended to be used in connection with a sectional or two-part tongue consisting of a rear fixed or stub section and a guiding-section pivotally connected thereto for a lateral swinging motion with relation to the stub-section, and I have shown the invention as combined with such a tongue in this application.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the forward end of a stub-tongue,the rear end of which (not shown) is rigidly attached to the frame of the implement, and 2 designates the guiding-tongue which is pivoted to the forward end of the stub-tongue by a coupling of novel construction. the respective members of which are carried by the adjoiningends of the two tongue-sections. The member connected to the free end of the stub-section consists of a bracket 3, set against the end face of the said section and formed with a rearwardlyprojecting strap 4:, lying against one of the side faces of the tongue-section and secured thereto by clamping-bolts 5, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings. Projecting forwardly from the bracket-plate 3 is a neck portion 6, carrying at its forward end a coupling-head 7, formed with a vertical opening 8, extending entirely therethrough. On the upper face of the neck portion 6 is a Vertical projection 9, constituting an abutment which performs a function to be more fully set forth hereinafter. The opposite member of the coupling mounted upon the guiding-tongue section and constructed to cooperate with the member just described is constructed and mounted upon said guidingsection in a manner which will now be described.

Projecting from the opposite sides of the guiding-tongue are bearing-plates 9' 9,rigidly attached to the tongue and formed at their projecting ends with bearings 10. Disposed in the space between these projecting ends is the rear end portion 11 of the coupling-head, said rear end piece having a transverse opening 12 therethrough, which when the end piece is in position alines with the bearings 10 and receives a pivot-bolt 13, the ends of which are located in saidbearings 10. Projecting from said end piece 11 are upper and lower horizontally-extending arms 14, parallel to each other and spaced apart, as shown, to receive the coupling-head 7 between them, said arms having alining openings 15, which register with the opening 8 in the couplinghead when the latter is in position between the arms. Extending vertically through said registering openings 8 and 15 is an axle 16, which constitutes a coupling-pin for pivotally connecting the coupling elements, so that the guiding-tongue may have a lateral swinging movement with relation to the stub-tongue. Upon reference to the drawings it will be seen that the arms 14 are formed withv circular heads 14:, and upon one side of the circular head is mounted an adjustable element to cooperate with the vertical projection 9 on the neck 6 to limit the swing of the guidingtongue. This element consists of a block 17, the inner face of which conforms to and is placed against the periphery of the head of the upper arm, said block being formed with a longitudinally-extending slot 18, through which extends a clamping-screw 19, the inner end of which is threaded into the head 14:. By the arrangement shown it will be seen that the block 17 serves as'an abutment to engage the vertical projection 9, heretofore mentioned, and thereby limiting the move-' ment of the guiding-tongue to an extent determined by the point to which said block is adjusted through the medium of the clamping-screw and the slot in the block.

From the above description it will be seen that the guiding-tongue has a pivotal movement laterally with .relationto the stub-tongue and also has a similar movement vertically by virtue of the connection between the rear endof the guiding-tongue and the portion 11 Of the coupling-head, said vertical movement serving to relieve the draft-animals of a great part of the weight of the machine and tongue.

The lower end of the vertical axle 16 extends to a point a distance below the coupling between the tongue-sections and is formed at its lower end with a downwardly-inclined spindle 20, the inclination of said spindle be ing stubbleward, and upon the spindle is mounted for rotation a caster or truck-wheel 21, which, owing to the inclination of the spindle, is staggered or given a pitch stubbleward,

as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The periphery of said wheel is provided with a circumferential flange 22 to afford a positive engagement of said wheel with the ground, so as to counteract the side draft of the machine while the latter is in motion. As shown in the drawings, the truck-wheel is normally in such a position as to travel in a line parallel to the tongue of the machine when the latter is moving forward in a straight line;

may be turned at a sharp angle without throwing the team as far in the direction of the turn as has hitherto been necessary, which means will now be described.

Mounted upon the vertical axle 16 at a point below the tongue-coupling and rigidly connected thereto by means of a tighteningscrew 23 is the hub 24 of a rearwardly-extending crank-arm 25, carrying at its rear end a vertical pin 26, which pivotally engages one end of a member 27, the other end of which is formed with a slot 28, which receives and rides on a stud-pin 29, rigidly mounted on the under side of the stub-section of the tongue. When the machine is traveling in a straight line, the crank-arm 25 and member 27 are in longitudinal alinement and parallel with the tongue-sections, the member 27 being in position with the forward end of the slot 28 adjacent the stud-pin 29. Means is provided operable by the lateral swinging movment of the guiding-tongues to throw the member 27 to one side. which also throws the crank-arm out of line with the tongue-sections and causes the truck-Wheel to travel ina line at a greater angle to the line of draft than that of the guiding-tongue, so that the wheel assumes an oblique position across said guiding-tongue instead of being parallel thereto, the wheel being swung in the direction in which the turn is being made.

The means just referred to consists of a rearwardly-extending arm 30,

formed with a yoke at its forward end, the

arms 31 of which are arranged on either side of a projection 32, formed on theunder side of the lower arm 14 of the coupling, said arms being rigidly secured to the coupling by means of transverse bolts passing through the arms and said projection. This rearwardlyextending arm 30, it will be seen, is rigidly connected to the guiding-tongue section and is at all times in longitudinal alinement therewith, so that any movement ofsaid guidingsections throws the rear end of said arm in the opposite direction to that taken by said tongue. The rear end of the arm 30 is formed with a slot 33, into which extends a pin 34:, rigidly mounted on the member 27 at a point intermediate its ends and preferably adjacent the point at which the crank-arm 25 is connected thereto, it being apparent that the arm 30 is of greater length than the crank-arm 25 and that they have pivotal axes on the same center.

From the above description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that when the guiding-tongue is swung to one side a corresponding movement in the opposite 'di rection will be given to the arm 30, which through its connection with the member 27 will swing said member outwardly and carry with it the rear end of the crank-arm 25, and owing to the fact that the arm 30 is of greater length than the crank-arm and describes a greater are than the latter in turning said crank-arm will be swung around faster than the arm 30 and the truck-wheel made to assume a position at a greater angle to the line of draft than the guiding-tongue. This movement of the truck-wheel through the positive engagement of the latter with the ground causes the machine to swing aroung sharply with but a slight swing of the guiding-tongue.

The height of the tongue from the ground may be regulated by loosening the set-screw 23 and'sliding the coupling elements and hub 24 up or down on the axle 16 and tightening said screw when the tongue is at the desired elevation.

An easy turning of the parts may be had by employing antifriction-bearings whereever required, particularly between the hub 24: and the coupling, as shown at 35 in Fig. 1, so that the guiding-tongue may be easily swung from side to side.

If desired, the line of travel of the truckwheel may be changed by adjustment of the axle in the coupling and hub 23, so that the wheel may run stubbleward as compared to the line of advance of the machine when more or less side draft is to be overcome.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a tongue-truck for agricultural implements, stub and guiding tongues provided. with engaging couplings, a vertical axle connecting said couplings and constituting a pivot therefor whereby the guiding-tongue may swing laterally, a supporting-wheel carried by said axle, and means whereby the swinging movement of the tongue causes said wheel to assume an angle to the line of draft difierent from that of the tongue.

2. In a tongue-truck for agricultural implements, stub and guiding tongues provided with engaging couplings, a vertical axle connecting said couplings and constitutinga pivot therefor whereby the guiding-tongue may swing laterally, a supporting-wheel carried by said axle, and connections between the guiding-tongue and the axle whereby the swinging movement of the tongue rotates the axle to cause the wheel to assume an angle to the line of draft different from that of the tongue.

8. In a tongue-truck for agricultural im plements, the combination of a tongue pivotally mounted for laterally-swinging movement, a vertical rotatable axle associated with said tongue, a supporting-wheel carried by the axle and means whereby the swinging movementof the tongue rotates the axle to cause the wheel to assume an angle to the line of draft different from that of the tongue.

4.. In a tongue-truck for agricultural implements, the combination of a tongue pivotally mounted for laterally-swinging movement, a vertical rotatable axle associated with said tongue and constituting the pivot for the tongue, a supporting-wheel carried by the axle and means whereby the swinging movement of the tongue rotates the axle to cause the wheel to assume an angle to the line of draft different from that of the tongue.

5. In a tongue-truck for agricultural implements, the combination of stub and guiding tongues, a coupling connecting said tongues comprising a head carried by one tongue and spaced arms carried by the other tongue between which said head is located, alining openings through said arms and head, a vertical axle extending through the openings in said couplings and constituting a pivot for the latter, a supporting-wheel carried by the axle, and abutments on the coupling members which engage to limit the movement of said members relative to each other.

6. In a tongue-truck for agricultural implements, the combination of pivotally-connected stub and guiding tongue sections, a rotatable vertical axle associated with said sections and carrying a supporting-wheel, a crank-arm rigidly connected to said axle, a member having one end slid ably engaging the stub-tongue and its opposite end pivoted to said crank- 'arm, and an arm rigidly connected to the guiding-tongue and slidably engaging said member at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, the arrangement being such that to this specification in the presence of two sub-- the swing of the guiding-tongue rotates the scribing Witnesses. aX e to cause the supporting-Wheel to assume an angle to the line of draft greater than that v THOMAS ROONEY' of the guiding-tongue during the turning of In presence of the machine. J. W. SCHMITT,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name C. K. HANNA. 

